Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2022/C 131/12)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘ΜΑΚΑΡΟΝΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΣΜΙΛΑΣ / MAKARONIA TIS SMILAS / ΜΑΚΑΡΟΝΙΑ ΤΟΥ ΣΚΛΙΝΙΤΖΙΟΥ / MAKARONIA TOU SKLINITZIOU’

EU No: PGI-CY-02763 – 5.3.2021

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) of PGI

’Μακαρόνια της Σμίλας / Makaronia tis Smilas / Μακαρόνια του Σκλινιτζιού / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’

2.   Member State or Third Country

Cyprus

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 2.5. Pasta

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ are a type of dried pasta made by mixing durum wheat flour with a little salt and water, and/or by mixing another type of flour with semolina, salt and water. Olive oil may also be used in the preparation of the product.

Physical characteristics

‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ have a small hole running through them lengthwise and the shape is visibly irregular, mainly due to the dried dough (Makaronia) being thinner at the ends than in the middle.

Length: 3 cm to 6 cm

Thickness: 0,3 cm to 0,7 cm (at the thickest point)

Colour: off-white

Texture: hard, smooth surface

Chemical characteristics

Moisture content: less than 12 %

Carbohydrates: 70-80 %

Salt: less than 1 %

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

—

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ are produced according to the following steps, which are carried out in the identified geographical area:

—	preparation of the dough by mixing the raw materials;...

—	leaving the dough to rest;

—	cutting the dough into small pieces;

—	shaping each piece using a rush stem (sklinitzi);

—

drying.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ are packaged in transparent packaging. The packaging allows the consumer to see the features of the product, in particular its relatively irregular shape, its texture and its characteristic longitudinal hole, which show that it is hand-made.

The product must be packaged and labelled within the identified geographical area, in the interests of good traceability and so that it is not damaged. Transporting the product to be packaged outside the area of production would increase the likelihood of affecting the quality and damaging the product, as it would run the risk of being crushed and/or shattered.

3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The following must be displayed on the packaging:

—	the words ‘χειροποίητα ζυμαρικά’ [cheiropoíita zymariká], meaning ‘hand-made pasta’;

—	a reference to the sklinitzi (rush stem) used to make the shape.

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The whole of the Republic of Cyprus.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The application for registration of the name ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ is based on the specific physical characteristics of the product, and also on the reputation it has acquired over the years. ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ have a hole through them and have a distinctive irregularity between the ends and central part of the dried product.

The characteristics of ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ arise as a result of the know-how and local expertise of their producers. Specifically:

Firstly, the selection of the special tool used to make the product is of great importance. This thin reed-like stem is carefully selected and cut from plants of the genus Juncus sp. In the local dialect, the plant and, by extension, the tool, is called ‘sklinitzi’. Sometimes, particularly in the past, a fine skewer known as a ‘smíla’ was used instead of a sklinitzi. The product therefore also owes its name to this tool. When selecting the sklinitzi, which producers will use for years, they will choose a stem of around 30-40 cm in length, with a smooth and cylindrical surface. Stems with flat sides or a rough texture are not considered suitable for forming an evenly shaped cylindrical hole in the ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’.

Another element that is important in shaping the particular characteristics of the product is the elasticity of the dough, which depends on the resting time. Small pieces of dough are worked with the sklinitzi to achieve a cylindrical shape that tapers at the ends. Each piece of dough will become a piece of ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’. The experience and technique of each producer in working the dough on the sklinitzi defines the thickness of the product. The most experienced producers can work and shape several pieces of dough at the same time, which speeds up the process and increases productivity.

The art and skill of the producers is also needed in the process of drying the ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’. The fresh ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ must be placed on sieves or drying baskets in such a way that the pieces do not touch one another. This allows them to dry better and more evenly. The experience of each producer will determine when the product is ready. The criteria to be checked are (a) the absence of any stickiness on the surface and (b) the sound the pieces make when they are shaken and knock against one another.

Bibliographical references record ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ as a traditional dish for special occasions, also associated with feast days. The dish was served on Sundays, but also at Cypriot weddings and during the harvest. According to literature on local folklore, preparing ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ gave the women in the villages the opportunity for social interaction. In fact, the women would ‘compete’ on how to place the ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ on drying baskets, laying them out in different formations.

In addition to their long-standing tradition as a local Cypriot product, ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ have acquired a special reputation in recent years and have become part of the ‘modern’ diet. ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ have been awarded the ‘Taste Cyprus Delightful Journeys’ label for Cypriot gastronomy and are one of products displayed at the Festival of Tradition and Culture, which has been held in various communities in the Cypriot countryside since 2004. ‘Makaronia tis Smilas / Makaronia tou Sklinitziou’ have a special place in specific events organised to celebrate Cypriot pasta with the participation of well-known chefs, and they also feature in a large number of printed and electronic media promoting Cypriot gastronomy.

Reference to publication of the specification

http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/FE9A90EB4A75497BC22583A9003E9C46/$file/Προδιαγραφή%20μακαρόνια%20της%20σμίλας.pdf

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.